Whippet E-Book

Juliette Cunliffe

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Comprehensive Owner's Guide
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 233

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

The experts at Kennel Club Books present the world's largest series of breed-specific canine care books. Each critically acclaimed Comprehensive Owner's Guide covers everything from breed standards to behavior, from training to health and nutrition. With nearly 200 titles in print, this series is sure to please the fancier of even the rarest breed.

Leseprobe

Physical Characteristics of the Whippet

(from the American Kennel Club breed standard)

Skull: Long and lean, fairly wide between the ears, scarcely perceptible stop.

Eyes: Large and dark.

Nose: Entirely black.

Muzzle: Long and powerful, denoting great strength of bite, without coarseness.

Ears: Rose ears, small, fine in texture.

Neck: Long, clean and muscular, well arched with no suggestion of throatiness, widening gracefully into the top of the shoulder.

Teeth: Teeth of upper jaw should fit closely over teeth of lower jaw creating a scissors bite. Teeth should be white and strong.

Brisket: Very deep, reaching as nearly as possible to the point of the elbow.

Forequarters: Shoulder blade long, well laid back, with flat muscles, allowing for moderate space between shoulder blades at peak of withers. Forelegs straight, giving appearance of strength and substance of bone. Pasterns strong, slightly bent and flexible.

Back: Broad, firm and well muscled, having length over the loin.

Size: Ideal height for dogs, 19 to 22 inches; for bitches, 18 to 21 inches, measured at the highest point of the withers.

Tail: Long and tapering, reaching to the hipbone when drawn through between the hind legs.

Hindquarters: Long and powerful. The thighs are broad and muscular, stifles well bent; muscles are long and flat and carry well down toward the hock. The hocks are well let down and close to the ground.

Coat: Short, close, smooth and firm in texture.

Feet: Well formed with hard, thick pads. Toes should be long, close and well arched.

Contents

History of the Whippet

Catch a glimpse of the elegant Whippet’s early origins and see how this “poor man’s Greyhound” went from coursing rabbits to professional dog racing to becoming a prized companion and show dog. In stories and photographs, trace the Whippet’s story as its popularity spread from England to the US, Australia and continental Europe.

Characteristics of the Whippet

Become acquainted with the wonderful personality of the Whippet, a lovely companion dog blessed with a quiet disposition, remarkable loyalty and adaptability. See how the Whippet gets along with other pets and children and if your lifestyle is suitable for this breed. Breed-specific health concerns are also addressed.

Breed Standard for the Whippet

Learn the requirements of a well-bred Whippet by studying the description of the breed set forth in the American Kennel Club standard. Both show dogs and pets must possess key characteristics as outlined in the breed standard.

Your Puppy Whippet

Find out about how to locate a well-bred Whippet puppy. Discover which questions to ask the breeder and what to expect when visiting the litter. Prepare for your puppy-accessory shopping spree. Also discussed are home safety, the first trip to the vet, socialization and solving basic puppy problems.

Proper Care of Your Whippet

Cover the specifics of taking care of your Whippet every day: feeding for the puppy, adult and senior dog; grooming, including coat care, eyes, nails and bathing; and exercise needs for your dog. Also discussed are the essentials of dog identification.

Training Your Whippet

Begin with the basics of training the puppy and adult dog. Learn the principles of house-training the Whippet, including the use of crates and basic scent instincts. Enter Puppy Kindergarten and introduce the pup to his collar and leash, and progress to the basic commands. Find out about obedience classes and other activities.

Healthcare of Your Whippet

By Lowell Ackerman DVM, DACVDBecome your dog’s healthcare advocate and a well-educated canine keeper. Select a skilled and able veterinarian. Discuss pet insurance, vaccinations and infectious diseases, the neuter/spay decision and a sensible, effective plan for parasite control, including fleas, ticks and worms.

Your Senior Whippet

Know when to consider your Whippet a senior and what special needs he will have. Learn to recognize the signs of aging in terms of physical and behavioral traits and what your vet can do to optimize your dog’s golden years.

Showing Your Whippet

Step into the center ring and find out about the world of showing pure-bred dogs. Here are the basics of how to get started in AKC shows and what’s required for your dog to become a champion. Take a leap into the realms of obedience trials, agility, tracking and sighthound events.

KENNEL CLUB BOOKS®WHIPPETISBN 13: 978-1-59378-247-4 eISBN 13: 978-1-59378-976-3

Copyright © 2005 • Kennel Club Books® A Division of BowTie, Inc.40 Broad Street, Freehold, New Jersey 07728 USACover Design Patented: US 6,435,559 B2 • Printed in South Korea

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Photography by Carol Ann Johnsonwith additional photographs by

Big Paw Prints, Paulette Braun, T.J. Calhoun, Juliette Cunliffe, Isabelle François, Bill Jonas, Kent Standerford and Alice van Kempen.

Illustrations by Renée Lowand Patricia Peters.

An elegant gazehound, the Whippet has been called “the poor man’s greyhound,” yet anyone who has known the virtues of a Whippet is rich indeed.

EARLY SIGHTHOUND ANCESTORS AND DEVELOPMENT

The Whippet is one of a number of breeds that fall into the group of dogs classified as sighthounds, often known as gazehounds. These are hounds that hunt their prey largely by sight; their bodies are lean and powerful, with deep chests and long limbs providing both stamina and speed.

Such hounds are, in general, adapted for finding prey in open country. Once the prey has been located, it can be overtaken by speed and endurance. Because of this special form of hunting, sighthounds have historically been found in regions where there is open countryside, in North Africa, the Arab countries, Afghanistan, Russia, Ireland and Scotland. The modern Whippet, however, is a more recent member of this highly prized group of dogs and was developed by the miners and mill-hands of the north of England. It was often referred to as “the poor man’s greyhound,” a breed developed for rabbit coursing that later became involved in track racing.

Illustration of the well-known Whippet Eng. Ch. Enterprise, published in 1900.

The Asiatic Wolf is most commonly accepted as ancestor of the sighthounds, for no other wolves are known to have existed in areas where dogs of Greyhound type originated. Although the Whippet is considered a comparatively modern breed, it is worthy of note that the Greeks and Romans used small Greyhounds, these considerably smaller than the breed we know today.

In developing the Whippet, breeders aimed to create a dog that was like a small, fleet Greyhound, but it needed to be hardier than the small Italian Greyhound to succeed at its intended function of chasing and capturing small game. Indeed the Whippet needed swiftness and grace as well as pluck and tenacity. With this in mind, several different breeds were involved in its creation. Certainly the Greyhound was used, as was the Italian Greyhound, but there was also Airedale, Bedlington, Manchester, Yorkshire and English Terrier blood mixed in. This terrier blood could be seen in some of the long-or rough-coated dogs found during the early years of the breed’s development.

The Manchester Terrier is believed to have been used in the development of the Whippet, likely contributing its sleek coat and terrier pluck. A Toy Manchester adult and puppy are shown here.

The Whippet was once called the “Hitalian,” alluding to this ancestor, the Italian Greyhound.

FOOT AND FEATHER

A famous racing pigeon was once matched against a Whippet over a distance of 100 yards. The match included the rule that neither competitor was to rise more than six feet above the ground!

Judicious breeding eventually produced a dog with the staying power of a working terrier combined with the speed and symmetry of the aristocratic sighthounds, its body shape having been gradually refined in harmony with that of the Greyhound. The Whippet we know and love so well today had been born.

In its early days, the Whippet was known by many different names, one of which was “Snap Dog,” reputed to have arisen because, when running along a track or when meeting a strange dog, Whippets had a tendency to snap at one another. Another name by which the breed was known was “Hitalian,” indicating the breed’s Italian Greyhound origin.

It is said that the name “Whippet” may have been based on the word “whip,” conveying the breed’s sharp character and speed. Having said that, there was a breed called a “wappit,” described briefly in the early decades of the nineteenth century. Today’s Whippet may indeed have some connection with this breed.

ESTABLISHING A FOOTHOLD

Whippets were first classified as a breed in England at a show in Darlington in 1876, but the breed was not recognized by England’s Kennel Club until 1890. The first five Whippets were registered in The Kennel Club’s Stud Book the following year. Five was, though, a disappointing number, for it indicated that few owners were interested in actually registering their dogs, considering it a waste of both time and expense. In 1896, the breed was awarded Challenge Certificate (CC) status, meaning that the breed could earn championships, leading to what has become today one of the most numerically strong breeds on the British show scene. The breed’s first champion in Britain was Zuber, who claimed this prestigious title at The Kennel Club Show in October 1896, his first CCs having been awarded at Bath in 1894 and at Crystal Palace in 1895. Eng. Ch. Zuber was a highly influential sire, as indeed was his son, Eng. Ch. Enterprise. The first bitch to gain her crown was Eng. Ch. Manorley Model, this at The Kennel Club Show in 1897.

WHIPPETS’ DIETS

Quality meat was usually fed to Whippets just for the last few days prior to a race. More usually they ate a basin of broken bread, gravy and pudding, with tea and ale—essentially the same fare as that eaten by the family. Stories of Whippets being fed on bantams’ eggs and old sherry are largely figments of the imagination!

The Italian Greyhound contributed its rainbow of coat colors and its rose-shaped ears to the Whippet.

The Whippet’s arch over its loin and superior ratting ability derive from this dog, the Bedlington Terrier.

In the late 1800s, Whippet racing was a sport of the lower classes in England. The stage of the race called “making ready” is shown above and below. The dogs are thrown into the race, as shown in the photo below. A pistol shot starts the race.

In 1899, Britain’s Whippet Club was formed, aided to a large extent by that notable dog lady the Duchess of Newcastle. She was known primarily for her Borzoi and Fox Terriers, but she also exhibited the occasional Whippet and was a dedicated supporter of the breed. With the formation of a breed club, Kennel Club registrations rose significantly, but understandably during the troubled years of World War I, they declined again, with none registered in 1918.

There were many prominent and influential early kennels, some of which had been set up even before the turn of the century. Again, though, during World War II, many kennels fell into decline or were completely disbanded. There was a shortage of food, which inevitably had a drastic effect on the breeding and rearing of dogs of all breeds. A few breeders managed to keep their lines going through the war years and registrations once again increased as the 1940s progressed, with over 700 new registrations in 1947. In the 1960s, registrations surged, which is not always a good thing for a breed, but Whippet enthusiasts are thankfully a dedicated pack, keeping close tabs on breed soundness as numbers rose. In the last decade of the twentieth century, British registrations remained stable with between 1,431 and 1,747 Whippets registered annually, the latter figure a slight peak in 1996, although numbers subsequently dropped by a hundred or so.

In 1999, the Whippet Club celebrated its centenary year, holding an enormously well-supported show over a two-day period and encompassing all aspects of “Whippetdom,” including obedience training, agility and lure coursing. The dog created primarily by the mining hands of northern England, often described as “a piece of canine art,” is indeed a breed of which to be proud.

A most famous Whippet is this Australian specimen known as Barna. It was owned by Joseph Brann and was the winner of the highest aggregate awarded by the Melbourne Metropolitan Kennel Club as well as many Whippet races.

THE WHIPPET IN TRACK RACING

In the nineteenth and early-twentieth century, dog racing was considered a “working-class sport” in the UK. Because of this, more wealthy enthusiasts did not participate easily in the free and easy atmosphere that surrounded it. Although the Ladies Kennel Association held a Whippet race, honored by the presence of King Edward and Queen Alexandra, this did not meet with the success that was hoped for.

Whippets used for both the track and for rabbit coursing needed to turn quickly and to be neat in using their head and teeth. It also was essential that they were capable of good speed. Those destined only for the track needed the power to get off quickly and, without interfering with the other runners, they had to move at speed to the end of the track.

The Greyhound closely resembles his relative, the Whippet, but is considerably larger, standing as tall as 30 inches or more at the shoulder.

Dogs frequently fought one another on the track and, on some tracks, canvas or nets were used to divide the lanes so as to prevent this problem. On other tracks, only string was used as a divider. A handicapping scale was used at most championship events, with divisions usually as follows: dogs over 23 lb., 23–18 lb., 18–12 lb. and under 11 lb. In 1888, White Eye, a black dog with one white eye, held the world record for 21-lb dogs, covering 200 yards in 12 seconds. Descriptions of these relatively early races are thoroughly informative with intriguing snippets of information, such as that the jump of an 18-lb dog could exceed 15 feet.

The Shirley prefix was very valued in Whippet circles during the 1930s. This photo depicts Mr.J.J. Holgate’s Shirley Dixie.

WORLDLY WHIPPET

Whippets have made their mark in many countries throughout the world. In 1980, Ch. Beseeka Knight Errant of Silkstone won the award of Supreme Champion at the World Dog Show, a highly prestigious event held by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in a different member country each year.

Much time, trouble and money were expended in getting a Whippet into the peak of condition for the track, for heavy betting took place so that efforts could prove worthwhile. Lancashire, in the north of England, was considered the home of Whippet racing, and dogs from that county were thought to be of greater importance than those from elsewhere. Cinder tracks were faster than grass ones, and some tracks in Lancashire were known throughout the world.

BREED CLUBS

A great many countries have Whippet breed clubs, such as South Africa’s Whippet Club of Transvaal, founded in 1984. The Whippet Club of Canada was not founded until 1993, but before then there were several regional Whippet clubs in the country and there are plenty of Whippet specialty shows there.

The famed Lottie Hampton, owned by Mr. W. Proctor, was greatly valued but did not have a successful show career.

At the starting line, each dog was held by the tail and the scruff of the neck. Hearing the starting pistol, the slipper would swing his dog forward and throw the dog as far as he could, hoping he would land on his feet. Clearly a good slipper gave the dog a great advantage! There was much shouting and yelling from onlookers, while at the other end of the track the dogs’ owners shouted to their dogs, waving something at which their dog was to aim. That “something” was usually a piece of material or a towel, but it was sometimes a dead rabbit or even a pigeon.

A famous British Whippet known as Eng. Ch. Zanza Zanita was born in 1931 and died in 1933. During her very brief life, she won her championship and many other prizes, including the three cups shown. She represented the best of her time.

Another of Mr. W. Proctor’s popular dogs was the Whippet known as Eng. Ch. Manorley Model.

EARLY TRAINING OF RACING WHIPPETS

To train young Whippets, puppies were called to their food by waving a rag, setting the scene for when they were older. Once they had grown, roadwork could be between 12 and 20 miles each day, with the aim of perfecting feet and muscle tone. For strenuous exercise, a ball was used.

Mixed Fortune, an extremely typical British Whippet whose show career was very successful, was owned and exhibited by Mr. Arthur Honeybone.

Many Whippets were said to have eaten better food than their owners. Some of the best dogs were fed only on Scotch beef, sent down from Scotland especially for them because the local beef was not believed sufficiently good. Diet was carefully controlled, and some dogs were muzzled so that they were prevented from eating food not intended for them. Many were kept almost entirely in the dark except when being raced, and they were fed and attended to by only one person, thus depriving them of what today would be considered essential companionship. In other respects, these highly prized dogs were treated with kindness, but standards of canine care then were not as they are today.

Will O’The Wisp of Mimosaland, bred by Mr. W. L. Beard and owned by Mr. Douglas Todd, was considered one of the very best Whippets of the 1930s, a dog that conformed closely to the standard of the time.

A successful dog was always the center of love and affection in the family, and often a family was actually supported by the winnings of the dog. Many unsuccessful dogs did not live out their natural lives, for poor men could not afford to keep bad stock. On the other hand, a good dog, too old for racing, often lived the rest of his life by the family fire.

A New Zealand Whippet named Bonny Argyle was a top winner.

Sandbloom was a beloved pet for Miss Robinson, representing a “pet-quality” dog from the early years.

Two portraits of Zanza Zanita, photographed by two different photographers.

TRICKS OF THE TRACK

Because money was involved in Whippet racing, a number of tricks were practiced regularly. Often a dog from another district was known by name, but not by sight, so a good dog could find itself entered under the name of an inferior one, playing havoc with the handicap system! An aid to those involved in such misdemeanors was that the dogs were kept under control until the moment the race commenced, so with skill even color could be changed and the deed concealed. There was even a case of a dog being entered as a bitch!

A scene from the turn of the century of a weigh-in prior to a Whippet race in England. Various races had weight standards because weight/height ratios impacted on stride lengths.

Sometimes “holding” was employed, so that a dog was not slipped immediately at the sound of the gun. In fact, it was known for the pistol to go off and not one of the Whippets to be released from the slips. This was because each man slipping was betting on another’s dog. It was by no means unknown for a dog to have one of its feet trodden to cause lameness. Even schoolchildren had a vested interest in the sport, for they were frequently quizzed by their teachers about which dogs would win.

Assessing the Whippet’s gait in the show ring determines the relative soundness of the overall animal. Although a Whippet doesn’t come close to full speed in the show ring, his gait should demonstrate that he is built for speed.

WHIPPETS IN AMERICA

In America the Whippet was recognized in 1888, first being seen in New England. A white dog with brown and yellow markings named Jack Dempsey was registered in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC’s) Stud Book that same year under the “Miscellaneous” heading. A bitch by the name of Boston Model was the first Whippet known to have won well at a dog show taking first prize in a mixed breed class in 1893. Of course there have been many great kennels in America through the decades since then, the first of which was “Bay View,” making its public appearance in the Whippet world in 1903. In 1904 Bay View Pride, whelped in 1902, became the first American champion.

Eight of America’s first twelve Whippet champions came from the Bay View Kennels, which regularly entered exhibits at shows in the first ten years or so of the 1900s. The kennel was based in Rhode Island and also housed Greyhounds and hunting dogs. From 1912 onward, it seems no longer to have been active. The Lansdown Kennels, owned by Ben Lewis, saw five Whippets carrying their championship titles before 1920, but they were not actually registered with the AKC. It must be said, though, that this frequently happened during that time period.

The Standard Manchester Terrier, a Whippet relative, once excelled in a different kind of race: a contest of killing rats, of which the Manchester was an immodest winner.

This Whippet, Lady Beatrice, was bred by Mr. Boothe in Moose Jaw, Canada, in 1928. She was the first Whippet sent to Japan, where she became the prized possession of Miss A. Wada and a foundation of the Whippet in Japan.

As the decades rolled along, so did the popularity of the Whippet, and several kennels produced a number of champions. There have been many big wins over the years, but an especially noteworthy one was when the 12-year-old Ch. Hollypark Honey Bee took Best of Breed at the AKC Specialty Show in 1979, which takes some doing in any breed!

Thistle Down of YNYS was a bitch bred by Mr. H. May in 1931. Her name changed when Mrs. R. Barry Adams bought her; she became known as Miss Thistle Doone.

The only Whippet to win the famed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was Ch. Courtenay Fleetfoot of Pennyworth, owned by Pennyworth Kennels, in 1964. Surely one of the most famous American kennels in modern times is Sporting Fields, established by Mr. and Mrs. James E. Butt in 1943 (originally with Poodles and Cockers). It was wonderful for the breed that the Butts took up Whippets in the early 1960s. Located in Toms-brook, Virginia, Sporting Fields is currently owned and operated by their daughter Debbie Butt and continues its reputation as the nation’s leading Whippet kennel with nearly 300 champions. Some of their famous Whippets include Ch. Sporting Fields Clansman and his great-grandson Am. Can. Ch. Sporting Fields Kinsman, each of whom was the winner of 59 Best in Show awards and sire of dozens of champions. Debbie Butt’s breeding program concentrates on breeding for both good temperament as well as well-rounded dogs. Surely Dual Ch. Sporting Fields Jazz Fest, the first dog to be ranked number-one in the show ring and in the field, and Dual Ch. Sporting Fields Winsome Won (the only Whippet to win Best in Show, Best in Field and Best in Specialty Show) attest to the success of the program, as does OTCh. Sporting Fields Mad Hatter, the first and only Whippet to earn this coveted obedience title. As Debbie’s children are continuing with the kennel, Sporting Fields becomes one of the US’s few prestigious third-generation breeding establishments.

Eng. Ch. Sparkle of Tytterton was owned by Mrs. Critchley Salmonson and was bred by K. Henley.

Brilliant Sand, a brindle bitch, won many first places in Open Shows and was owned by Mr. W. C. Taylor. Her beautiful clean body was exemplary of the breed in the early 1930s.

The Channel Islands champion was Mrs. W. J. de Gruchy’s Memory Star. Among her many prizes was a Best in Show in 1934.

Eng. Ch. Silver Knight was a fawn and white dog born in 1930. He was a consistent winner at the shows.

Born in July 1928, Silver Lightning was an exceptionally fast runner who won numerous prizes and sired many champions.

In addition to Sporting Fields, there are other great names such as Starline and, of course, Bo Bengston’s Bohem Kennel. This was originally established in Sweden over four decades ago and has to be one of the most successful kennels in the world, especially given that relatively few litters are bred. Another notable kennel is Karasar, with interests lying not only on the show benches but also in the sporting field.

The antique collars worn by champion runners of yore are coming back into fashion for modern-day champions.

Flying Imp, owned by J. Cahill, celebrated his first birthday by winning the Napier Whippet Puppy Cup in Australia. He also won the Wellington Cup in the most important North Island race, running 200 yards in slightly over 12 seconds.

Although Whippets at general shows usually enjoy greater popularity in Britain than in America, at breed specialty shows numbers exhibited have reached phenomenal figures—over 500 on occasions. It is interesting to note that the proportion of judges in America who are breed specialists is small in comparison with breed specialist judges at shows in the UK.

Within the AKC, the American Whippet Club (AWC) is the national club for the breed and promotes responsible ownership, ethical breeding as well as showing, obedience training and lure coursing. The AWC holds a national specialty each year in different parts of the country, and sponsors six regional Whippet specialties. The Club awards Registers of Merit and Awards of Versatility.

WHIPPETS IN AUSTRALIA

It is likely that even in the nineteenth century some settlers in Australia took their Whippets with them, and Whippet racing was certainly recorded in 1869. However, not until the twentieth century were Whippets bred specifically for the show ring.

British imported stock has had a great influence on the Whippet scene in Australia, in part because of quarantine laws in the UK, making it easier to import from Britain than from elsewhere. Several Whippets have won high awards at prestigious shows here, one early such achievement being Ch. Calpin Bartic’s Best in Show win at Brisbane Royal in 1951.

WHIPPETS IN EUROPE

In Scandinavia, Whippets were shown as long ago as 1900, and in about 1917 Queen Maude of Norway imported two Whippets to Norway, giving certain acceptability to the breed. As in other countries, many Scandinavian enthusiasts are seriously dedicated to their breed and the Svenska Whipptk-lubben (Swedish Whippet Club) was formed in 1976.

The Whippet scene elsewhere in Europe is somewhat different, France being the country in which the breed is most popular. A French breed club was formed in the late 1940s and the breed club shows attract substantial entries. However, although a goodly number of Whippets are registered in France each year, many of them are destined for pet homes rather than the show ring.

Whippets prove obedient and elegant in the show ring. This handler and Whippet are making a very professional showing.

Whippets excel in show rings today and are represented by strong entries. Not only is the number of dogs entered high but also the quality of the dogs is consistently impressive.

In Germany, Whippets were first registered in 1903 but in those early years there was not always a clear defining line between large Italian Greyhounds and Whippets. Until the war years, several British-bred Whippets were imported into Germany, but today the breed is not greatly popular there, with registration numbers being similar to those in Switzerland, despite the disparity in size and population between the two countries.